1

Vance Hopper didn’t notice when it all started.

One day he was told they would expel him if he didn’t get his grades up and stopped skipping school. And the other he was asking Finney Blake, smartest person in school, to help him graduate finally because if he didn’t and he was held back again, his mother would kick him out of their house.

He didn’t want to at first but the only people he could ask for any kind of help were his step–brother, Griffin, who was a grade below him and his best friend Bruce Yamada who graduated a year ago and was far away, pretty busy in college. None of them could help him graduate, so he had to turn to the smartest and kindest kid of his class.

Asking Blake was awkward because Robin Arellano, second strongest person in School after him and extremely protective of his friends (Finney was his only friend), was watching their interaction like a damn hawk. But Finney Blake lived up to the kind, amazing and good–hearted reputation he had going on when he agreed to help him out and even refused Vance’s idea to pay him for the help, saying that it wasn’t necessary and that he didn’t need the money.

Finney, Vance noticed, was a goody–two–shoes who often scolded him, unafraid of what he could do to him. He would actually do nothing because his violent outbursts were things of the past (actually not true, he was just more careful when getting into fights) and he didn’t need to add more to his long criminal record because he didn't want to go to actual jail now that he wasn’t a minor anymore. 

The younger one also liked to point out the things he disliked about Vance, like the way he was always late to their study hangouts, a habit that he was trying to get rid of for the sake of Finney still helping him because he was a really good teacher, or the way he always had to step out to smoke a cig when he felt frustrated, which was a habit that wasn’t as easy to stop when it was the only thing that grounded and relaxed him.

Finney tried to correct things that could be changed with enough patience, but he never pointed out the way he would sometimes show up covered in bruises or when he was too silent and too still to be the fiery Vance Hopper everyone knew of.

Vance and Finney usually hung out in a coffee shop but when the coffee shop they frequented was closed due to being remodeled they had to choose to go to another place. The library wasn’t an option (Vance would kill the other kids in there the moment he felt irritated by them) so Finney’s house was chosen because his own was too far away.

It was so quiet, neat and tidy, it all felt familiar to Vance.

A few days after spending their first afternoons inside Finney’s room made it clear why the lifeless house he lived in felt familiar. Vance saw the paleness in Finn’s face when an adult male screamed murder at the ground floor asking where his alcohol bottles were hidden, the way he tensed up and tried to hide him away when who he assumed was his father, opened the door to his room, eyes red fogged in anger, throbbing veins in his arms from tightening his fists.

Screams.

Slurs.

Hits and angry words were directed at Finney who just stood silent and took the beating up, scared, not even trying to fight back.

The confrontation didn’t last much, not when Vance put himself in the middle of the punch that was directed to Finney’s face so he had an excuse to beat the shit out that bastard. He stopped when he felt satisfied enough, when bruises were covering the entirety of the man, when Finney’s dad didn’t look fine or with the energy to throw a punch no more.

Vance, at that moment, just wished it was his old man instead.

They didn’t talk about it later, the shared understanding that both went to the same thing was enough to settle any questions they had.

Finney was just like him he discovered that day. Maybe that was when it all started to shift, when Vance started to see Finney as Finney a survivor of domestic abuse and not Finney the Goody–two–shoes of school.

2

Things got calm or that’s what Finney told him when he asked one random Tuesday if his father raised a hand against him again.

They were at the younger’s house, reading over Finney’s notes from History class and both were getting tired, if sighing every ten seconds meant anything.

Finney closed his book and sat on the carpet of his room, urging Vance to sit with him. Vance followed him shortly, thankful for the break they were about to get. If he had to go over who were the presidents of America he would shoot himself in the head.

“Can you show me to do that trick?” Finney asked, shy, scared Vance would laugh at him and reject him outright.

“What? What trick?” Vance was confused.

“Y’know, the one you do that looks like a waterfall with the cig.”

The blond blinked, still confused. Finney didn’t smoke and he was always the first and only one reminding him how bad smoking was for his health.

“You don’t smoke.”

“Maybe I want to now.” Finney looked at Vance and smirked, as if he was challenging him but to Vance didn’t feel the playfulness in his voice, for him it felt like a trick and Robin was going to come out of his hiding spot and fight him for even considering the idea of lending Finney a cigarette.

“Robin’s gonna kill me if he finds out I am corrupting his boy.” He said, apprehensive.

“I’m not his boy, Vance, don’t say that.” Finney scrunched his nose, sending Vance a dirty look who held his hands up, feigning innocence and making a funny face. Finney sighed, shaking his head and rolling his eyes at the blond’s antics. “Anyways, you would not be corrupting me because I just want to try it. It’s not like I would be doing this constantly. Come on, Vance, show me how you do that trick.”

“Ugh, okay, okay. Chill down.”

Vance discovered that Finney was very persistent when he wanted so he just agreed to show him how without putting up any fight, telling Finney to open up the window before he showed him.

“First, take the cig in your lips,” Vance positioned the cigarette between Finney’s lips, “but don’t get it too wet with your saliva or else it will taste awful.” Finney nodded, trying to follow the other’s instructions. “When I light it up, you just need to inhale strongly so the fire spreads evenly but not too much so you don’t choke on smoke.”

When Finney gave his approval with a nod, telling him that he was ready to try, Vance lit up the cigarette and waited for the other to start smoking.

Finney did what he was told to do, but like Vance told him he would if he inhaled too much smoke, he started to cough violently. Vance couldn’t help but laugh at the sight.

“Too much.” Vance pointed out, still laughing.

“You said strongly!” Finney lightly punched the arm of Vance, that didn’t stop his laughter though. “Stop it. Don’t laugh at me, Vance Hopper.”

“Your face was very funny, I’m not laughing at you, Finney Blake.”

Vance closed his eyes, trying to ignore the fact that his heart made a little jump when Finney punched him and then pouted like a little kid whose parents just told him that they couldn’t go to the park that day.

When he opened his eyes, another idea came to his mind.

“Let me.” He asked for the cig still in the younger’s fingers and Finney gave it back. “Let’s start with getting you used to the smoke before you attempt to do the trick. I’ll exhale and you will inhale. Alright?”

“Sure.”

Vance was invading Finney’s space, their knees were touching and their faces were very close to each other, but if the younger minded the closeness he didn’t tell so he just started smoking the cigarette, focusing solely on passing the fumes to a very quiet Finney.

Being this close, Vance took his time to stare at him. Finney was really pretty, he didn’t mind admitting it and if someone asked him who he thought was the prettiest person in school, his answer would be him. No doubts, no hesitation, because no girl or boy could come close to Finney’s beauty. At least not in his eyes.

He was so focused in memorizing the other’s features that he didn’t notice when the curly haired came closer to him, face now mere inches away from a kiss.

Vance, unaware of Finney’s gaze zooming in his lower part of his face, found the look Finney was making funny so he took a long breath and exhaled an unhealthy amount of smoke onto an unexpecting Finney who choked on the fume, getting a laugh out of Vance, again.

“Asshole.”

“Yeah, yeah, pretty sure at this point you love this asshole.”

Finney didn’t deny it nor rolled his eyes so Vance felt inevitably a bit happy even if his silence didn’t have a meaning.

It meant something to Vance and he was a great liar when it came to lying to himself.

3

The cig trick teaching lasted almost a month because Finney had the great idea to learn how to do the trick at the back of the bleachers of the baseball ground and Robin found out when a boy from the team ran his mouth and accidentally (not that accidental though) spread the rumour that Vance was giving drugs to Finney in exchange of his help.

It took the whole afternoon to convince Arellano that Vance wasn’t selling any drugs to Finney and that it was Finney’s idea to start smoking, that he wasn’t pressured by the blond to do it. At all.

Still, Robin deemed their new found relationship a bad influence on Finney and urged the boy to stop hanging out with Vance all the time, saying that Vance was just using him to pass his classes and would toss him aside the moment he needed him anymore.

That was true maybe two months ago, right now, on the other hand, that was a lie. Vance enjoyed Finney’s company a lot and he considered him a friend by now, he would not just toss him aside the moment he graduated.

Vance Hopper, believe it or not, had a heart too.

They fought. Robin and Finney. It was ugly and Vance had never felt as uncomfortable as he did the moment they started to scream at each other. He tuned them out when he tried to get out and both told him, or more like yelled at him, that he had to stay.

At the end, Vance was being dragged by Finney while Robin was going the other way. They ended up in front of the arcade, a place where Vance was banned from entering ever since he tried to carve his name on the arm of another kid who was bothering him.

Not one of his best moments, to be honest.

“I can’t enter.”

“Hm?”

“The arcade, they banned me when I–You know when.”

“Ah, sorry. I thought we could play or something today instead of studying. Get our mind off it, relax for a little. Yeah, that.”

“Don’t apologise, you didn’t know. We can go to another place.”

“Yeah, but I should have guessed, they’ve banned people for less.”

“Don’t fret, Finney Blake. Let’s go for snacks, I know a spot, c’mon.”

They moved to the Grab N’ Go since it was the mart closest to them and each picked some snacks. When they were satisfied with their picks (and paid for them because Finney insisted), Vance started running, telling Finney as he laughed, that they had to be quick if they didn’t want to miss it.

“Miss what? Vance!” Vance didn’t answer and just smirked at him.

Apparently if they didn’t get there on time, they would have missed the movie that was playing in the drive–in. Finney didn’t know that the drive–in was so close to the arcade and he also didn’t expect Vance to know a place where to watch a movie for free, but he should have known.

It was Vance Hopper who they were talking about.

They were sitting on the grass at the top of a hill that was where the billboard for the cinema was sitting on. The snacks were in the middle of them, opened up, and the movie was rolling already.

It was a rerun of Blade Runner, which was amazing because Finney didn’t get to watch it when it came out. At first, both boys were talking and sharing some commentary of the movie, snickering at some of the scenes.

It was a nice moment they both deserved, especially Finney who had to work double to try to teach Vance.

It was almost at the end of the movie when Vance noticed that there was more pressure on his right shoulder. He looked over it and saw Finney, asleep.

Vance refrained from letting out a laugh. Finney was so excited to watch the movie, he didn’t shut up the first five minutes about it but now he was the one sleeping. The blond simply smiled, very pleased with the situation he was in and let the other doze off.

It should be emphasized that Vance didn’t finish watching the movie either, too focused on Finney’s eyelashes, on the way he mumbled on his sleep, on the curls that covered his forehead or Finney’s lips which looked very kissable and soft.

They went home late that day.

4

Vance was watching Robin Arellano’s karate tournament. Why? Because Finney asked him to accompany him and he could not say no to those pleading eyes.

He was so smitten it was kind of making him feel even more crazy than normal. Because what do you mean he was watching a kid who hated his guts (Vance still remembered the fight Finney and Robin had two months ago about him being a bad influence or something along the lines of that) show off non–sensical moves just because the guy he liked asked him to.

Fucking crazy, he was.

“What move do you think Robin will use when he sees me? Move number one, the kick in the groin, kin gerrrrr– what you said before or move number two, the flying side kick, the yoko ono one.” Vance asked, watching as Robin started his routine.

“What?” Finney was taken aback by the sudden and weird question. “Okay, first of all, it’s Kin Geri and Yoko Tobi Geri.” He corrected him, because of course he would try to make this a teaching moment even if Karate wasn’t a part of their course. “And second of all, Robin’s not going to do that. I think.” 

The last two words were whispered, but because Vance was very close to Finney (he didn’t know when he got so close. Scratch that, he actually did know. He scooted over when Finney was explaining to him what Karate was about with the excuse that the public was too loud –they weren’t– so that he could be near him) he managed to hear him.

“He hates me.” Vance pointed out.

“No, he doesn’t.” There was a pause from Finney who was pondering whether Robin hated Vance or not. “Okay, maybe he does hate you. But just a tiny bit and that’s just because he doesn’t know you for real. Aaaaand…”

“And?”

“And that’s why you’re here today, we are all going to hang out together and be friends.”

He was definitely crazy and fucked up. He was going to be a third wheel on Robin and Finney’s date after being declared champion because of course, Arellano was doing a great job (if the full points the judges were giving him meant something).

Vance was kind of jealous because Finney was looking at Robin with such adoration he wanted to be the one on the stage, but couldn’t. Because even though he was good at fighting he didn’t excel at it, at least not like Robin. He didn’t learn how to fight properly, fair and square, he just had to in order to survive his fucking father. So it was not the same situation.

Robin won the tournament like Vance guessed he would and then he came up to where they were sitting, asking Finney what was the plan. And apparently they were going to get burgers because Finney craved them and none of them could say no to him.

Robin huffed at the idea of going with Vance, but hey, at least he didn’t kick Vance the moment he laid eyes on him.

Against all odds, they were having a nice hangout. Vance hated to admit it but Robin was fun to hang out with, once he could pass by the reputation the blond had.

They had similar humour, they had similar tastes in food (they ordered the same burger and the same type of drink when they got to the burger joint), they were unapologetically loud and they both liked to make fun of Finney’s shenanigans.

Vance thought they even shared the same interest in boys (because Robin was very very close and protective of Finney, it had to mean something, right?) when Finney asked Robin about his girlfriend.

Girlfriend.

What the fuck.

His head shot up so fast, it gave him whiplash.

“Fuck.” Vance put a hand to his neck, trying to soothe the pain away, asking the question that was eating him up inside. “You–You. Robin Arellano, you have… a girlfriend?”

“Yeah. Donna Clark.” Robin answered, slurping from his drink, sharing the name as if it was obvious who she was. “She’s cool.”

“Really cool. She used to go to our school but she moved last year.” Added Finney when he saw the confusion in Vance’s face.

“Why?” Asked Robin, weirded out by Vance’s reaction.

“Mmm, nothing. I just didn't think you were the type to have a girlfriend at all.” Because I thought you and Finney were something, Vance kept to himself.

“The bad boy reputation has some perks, I guess.” Robin shrugged, not really understanding what Vance meant with his wording.

He truly believed that Robin was as gay as he was, even worse he believed that Robin liked his best friend.

Did that mean that Vance had some kind of opportunity with Finney?

“Yeah, so bad you took her from me. Truly a bad boy move.”

Damn, okay.

Maybe he did not.

It seemed like Finney liked girls as well. And of course he did, why would he like boys? And why would he specifically like Vance? He wasn’t a good choice for a partner at all, he was pretty much the opposite.

“Ugh. Can you not? Por favor, I already told you already I was sorry Finney. Like multiple times. Cada vez que sale la conversación. And you didn’t tell me you liked her and it… it just happened, si lo hubiera sabido… well, I would have done everything differently and would have asked you first. You know that, y además, I also told you that she confessed to me and well, I liked her so I wasn’t thinking of anything else and–.”

“Chill, Rob.” Finney interrupted Robin, laughing at his word vomit. “I was just joking."

“It’s totally not funny.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, Robin.”

That day, Vance gained a new friend (kinda because Robin was still weird when it came to interacting with Vance) and discovered that his crush used to like a girl who was dating his best friend now which meant that he only liked girls and would probably never like him back. But hey, at least Finney wasn’t Robin’s partner, that would have been worse for his mental health now that he was on better terms with the Arellano kid.

5

If going to a Karate tournament just because Finney asked Vance was weird, going to a science fair was even weirder. Because what the hell was Vance Hopper doing in a freaking science fair?

Vance Hopper who skipped class on a daily basis.

Vance Hopper who had no interest in watching kids do a volcano experiment with soda and mentos candy.

Vance Hopper who hated crowds and adults asking useless questions.

Damn Finney and his excited pleading eyes. Damn Robin for having a date with his girlfriend and being unable to join them and help Vance mask his pining. And damn himself for being weak when it came to Finney.

The enclosure was crowded, a whole lot of kids walking around with their parents (or trusted adults/teens) and another lot standing behind a booth trying to show off their science experiment or some kind of diorama they’ve made or a chart full of information about things Vance was not going to read.

Both of them were walking around too, trying to find the booth of Gwen (Finney’s younger sister). Finney was babbling something about how his sister participated last year but didn’t win which he thought to be rigged so the mayor’s kid could win.

That was probably the truth, the mayor was very known in the town for bribing teachers and judges in local tournaments to favor his kids.

While they were walking, Finney made sure to stop by some booths that he deemed interesting enough.

Like the booth where a small kid and a teenager (maybe family) was standing with a model of the Solar System. A 3D model that could move, mimicking the way the planets orbited around the sun. It was kind of cool, but he would never say that out loud, not if he didn’t want to hear the end of it.

“This model is amazing!” Finney congratulated the kid, amazed at the work that was put into it and the amount of details that were included. “You even put some of the moons of Jupiter! That’s so cool.”

“Thank you!”

“Amazing truly, keep up the good work! I hope you win something.”

Or the booth where a teen was standing behind a model of a rocketship made of cardboard. Finney looked like a kid watching the other teen explain how he made the rocket, his inspiration and the details that he managed to put on. Finney was so amazed, he spoke a lot, telling him different kinds of facts about rockets and the space, and Vance just stared at him, with adoration and a proud smile he tried to mask by looking the other way.

“Did you know that rockets are painted white because that way the light from the sun would reflect and would not overheat the fuel inside the rocket?” That was the twelfth fact that Finney sputtered, not even minding that Vance wasn’t responding to him in other ways than hums.

Vance didn’t want to risk talking and tell him things like he was really cute. Because he really was, Finney was such a cute geek that against his better judgement, he pinched his cheek.

He decidedly tried to not overthink why there was a redness spreading in the face of his friend, deciding to ignore it to not get his hopes up.

Five booths later they found Gwen’s. A booth she was sharing with someone who Vance knew. Amy Yamada, the younger sister of his best friend and apparently the girlfriend of Gwen. Since Finney didn’t look weirded out at all about the implications of Gwen liking Amy, Vance knew that at least Finney wasn’t homophobic which was a win. If he was to confess his feelings at least he knew he wouldn’t be hated for it, rejected sure, but not hated.

Their project was about the effect of growing plants on different types of soil. It wouldn’t get them to win against the kid who made a robot that could walk by itself, but their experiment was pretty solid and Vance was sure they would be in the top 5 at least.

And again, his guess was correct. Gwen ended up being in the top 4 of her class, which was good for her because at least she managed to surpass the mayor’s kid this time.

Finney accompanied Vance to his house wanting to know where the blond was living, saying that he needed to pay him for the times Vance took him home. Vance wasn’t letting the opportunity to talk more to Finney go, so he just shrugged and started walking to the other side of the town.

The walk home was long. Usually, it would take Vance half an hour to get to his house, but that day walking alongside Finney, it took him more than an hour and a half because they were too engrossed in their own conversation, laughing at each other's antics and having fun teasing the other.

Vance didn’t care that his mother yelled at him the moment he crossed the door, Finney hugged him goodbye and he was still stuck in that moment to care about anything else in the world.

6

They were in Finney’s living room that day. Finney didn’t clean up that day so he insisted on having their final study session in the living room. They only had one exam left so they tackled the topics that Vance already knew and reinforced his knowledge.

What they wanted wasn’t Vance passing the tests with flying colors, they just needed him to pass. They were at it for two hours because Gwen was back from Billy Showalter’s house, a friend of hers. She looked at them weird for spending too much time studying and scolded them, telling them to relax and to eat something because studying would fry their brains too.

They listened to her because she was right and they absolutely needed the distraction, and both went to the backyard to talk more freely and no interruptions after getting snacks from Finney’s stack.

“Are you going to prom?” Finney asked at one point of their conversations. He was curious, probably because prom was in less than a month.

The blond laughed at the question because Vance Hopper didn't do prom, at all. Mostly because teachers didn’t want to chaperone him and also because Vance didn’t even understand why prom was such a big deal to people.

He was now twenty years old and still didn’t get the reason people would be excited to be in a crowded room just to dance and make out. They didn't even let them get wasted because any type of alcohol was forbidden, so what was the point? It wasn’t funny.

“Don’t laugh, it’s a valid question.” Finney pouted.

“Finney Blake, ” Vance pointed at himself, “even if I, somehow and who knows what reasons, wanted to go to prom, I know nobody would go with me.”

“Well, I know someone who would want to go with you.” The younger shook his head and smirked at him. That little shit knew something and he wasn’t going to share it with him, Vance knew by the way he was giggling softly.

“Yeah, who?”

“This girl.” Finney paused as if considering if it was worth telling him the name. “Her name’s Fionna Black.”

“And who the fuck is that?”

It wasn’t worth it to tell him, after all Vance only knew Finney’s and Robin’s name and he didn’t care enough to know the rest of the class’ names.

“Geez, Vance. Don’t tell me I have to teach you the names of everyone in the class.” The younger one snickered.

“Don’t.” The thought of learning names on top of the subjects was making Vance’s head hurt. “It’s whatever, I don’t care about them and it’s not like I am friends with them so I don’t mind not knowing their names.”

“I guess.” Finney shrugged, and continued to talk about the girl he knew would go with him to prom. “She’s kinda cute. I think you would look good together.”

“Okay, we are not doing this, you aren’t going to play cupid for me. I don’t need it.”

Because he was not going to let the guy he liked choose him a date. Nope. Never. Because he didn’t like girls. And because he wasn’t fond of the idea of Finney planning dates for him and another person that wasn’t Finney himself.

“But–”

“Are you going to prom?” Vance interrupted and asked before Finney could try to convince him. If he let him talk, he would probably be able to convince him to do it, so it was better to cut that conversation short now.

“Well, I’ve never gone to one and I thought that maybe I should try at least before graduating.” Finn stopped looking at him, instead deciding to look at the sky as the sun was starting to set.

“Ah.” Vance tried to hide his discontentment, he was going to propose to go to another place instead of going to school to dance. But if Finney wanted to go, then he would go too. Just to make sure Finney didn’t die crushed in a crowd of teenagers, yeap, a very good and logical reason. It wasn’t like Vance would interrupt Finney and whoever was going to be his date to prom if they tried to kiss (he would though). “Who are you going to ask?”

“I was thinking maybe Vane–Vanesssssa… Hooopwell.”

Vance didn’t have a clue of who that was.

“Who?”

“You know who. You probably see her everyday, she’s in our class. She’s blonde, tall, has curly and untamed hair, she’s totally a badass and she’s amazing. Really cool and kind even if she doesn’t realise it hi–herself.”

Vance didn’t pick up on the tiny mistake Finney made, too busy wallowing in his own thoughts to notice. Vance knew for a fact that less than half of their class were blondes, but he was pretty sure there wasn’t a Vanessa in their class. He had to ask Robin about her, gather information and make Finney not propose to her.

“No clue who that is, Finney. But it’s you who we are talking about, she probably won’t say no to you if you ask her.”

“Do you think so?”

“Affirmative, dumbass. You’re not bad yourself, this Vanessa chick would be blind if she didn’t see that you are a good match. Like, you’re cute, bright, brave and kind. Also really pretty for a boy and girls like that, no? Whatever, I said what I said, if she rejects you then she’s a bitch with no taste.”

Finney blinded him with the most sincere and big smile he had and Vance’s heart made a thud, followed by rapid heart beatings that didn’t slow down until they deemed it was getting too late and Vance had to go home.

Get a grip Pinball Vance. He’s just a boy.

A boy that looked magnificent in a black suit. Damn. Finney looked stunning dressed like that, Vance really wanted to kidnap him and take him to his home and kiss him until he or Finney passed out. That was a good plan, they should ditch prom.

“You look good.” Vance said instead of voicing his idea of ditching.

“Thanks, Vance. You don’t look bad either.”

Both of them were smiling, standing in front of Finney’s porch awkwardly. Since the exam period ended the week prior, it was the first time they saw each other outside of the classroom.

Now that Vance no longer needed Finney’s help to pass (which by the way, he did), they had no reason to see each other everyday, and despite considering themselves friends, neither had taken the initiative to ask the other to hang out yet. But Vance was ready to ask Finney to hang out more after prom.

“So, what’s the plan now?”

“Well, Robin will come pick us up and then he will get Donna from her grandparents house and then we are off to school.”

“Donna’s coming?”

“Yes. She said she would rather spend her prom with Robin and her friends from here than to stay home in Lakewood. She also kind of wants to meet you.”

“Me? Why?”

“Ah, well, I told her about our study sessions and our hangouts and you. So yeah, uh, she wants to meet Pinball Vance and see for herself I suppose.”

If somebody said that Vance’s heart was going too fast, he would deny it because it definitely wasn’t going too fast, it was just the normal speed for him when it came to Finney.

Robin, like Finney said, arrived in a flash, driving a red mustang. It must have been a gift for him, because he didn’t have that car before prom at least. They drove over to Donna’s and Vance discovered that he liked her, unexpectedly.

She liked to poke fun at Finney just like him and Robin did too, she was a tease and she was unafraid to say what was going on her mind. Donna Clarke was really cool and Vance could understand why both Finney and Robin liked her at some point. He would also like her if she had a dick hanging instead of a vagina, for sure.

Prom, on the other hand, was exactly like Vance imagined. Loud, sweaty and really crowded. There were far too many people he didn’t recognise inside the High School’s very small gym, pushing each other and laughing obnoxiously.

Most people were on the dance floor moving around (because what they were doing couldn’t be considered dancing). He could see Gwen, Amy, Billy Showalter and Griffin (he didn’t even know Griffin was friends with them) talking and dancing next to a free table.

The four of them greeted them when they passed over them and took a seat at the bleachers. They laughed at the people and talked about the future, what their inspirations were now that they were going to graduate and start college (Vance would not, but he didn’t want to burst the bubble and make the situation awkward so he just decided to not tell them that he was going to start working with his uncle).

Finney and Donna at some point went to get them drinks and refused their company, claiming that they needed to catch up, leaving Robin and Vance alone. Thankfully, the atmosphere wasn’t strange, Robin warmed up to him ever since the Karate tournament and they became good friends. They were talking about the new car Robin got, when Vance remembered the names Finney told him when he asked him about prom.

“Do you know Fiona Black or Vanessa Hopwell from class?”

“From class? As far as I know, there’s no Fiona or Vanessa in our class.”

Which is weird because why would Finney lie about that?

But before Vance could get lost in his thoughts and put things together, Finney and Donna were back with the drinks. They stayed there for a short period until Robin asked Donna to dance so it was Vance and Finney left alone.

They left and went to the hill where Vance took Finney the day he fought with Robin. They were putting on a Grease rerun and they were just on time for Olivia Newton–John’s song Hopelessly Devoted. And because Vance was totally hopelessly devoted to Finney and wanted him to have an actual dance, even if it wasn’t in the school grounds, he asked him to have a slow dance with him to Sandy’s song.

7

Graduation was around the corner. It actually was today. Mother–fucking finally. It just took Vance two years to get there. But he was going to walk up the stage that day against all odds.

He was ecstatic and nervous, he didn’t know why.

Maybe it was his mother, Griffin and Griffin’s dad proud smiles and the constant flashes of the cameras taking pictures of him with the graduation gown and cap.

Maybe it was because Finney and Robin were going to graduate with him so he wasn’t going to be alone, he was going to walk up the stage with his crush and the new friend he made.

Maybe it was because Bruce was going to come all the way from his uni dorm in Colorado Springs and would force him to confess his feelings to Finney (Vance regretted the moment he casually told Bruce that he started to like someone because that asian son of a bitch was relentless and it took him less than an hour to know all about his damned crush).

Whatever.

No nervousness or what–ifs would erase the fact that he was happy. Truly happy. A feeling that he didn’t get to feel truly since he was a kid, before his father changed for the worse after he was fired and instead of blaming the company, he chose to blame Vance and his mom.

He sat close to Finney and Robin. The seatings were arranged by alphabetical order but he didn’t care about rules and the kid that was supposed to sit next to Finney didn’t care either (he scared him away).

Finney was fidgeting in his seat so Vance did what his mother did when he was a kid and got too anxious, he intertwined their hands. Finney straightened up the moment he noticed and he stared at the locked hands shocked.

Vance just smiled because it worked and told Finney a few words of encouragement. “You’re going to do great out there, I believe you will, Finney Blake. So breathe and trust in yourself too, ‘kay?”

Finney nodded. He took a deep breath and relaxed. Soon, one by one, their names were being called out. First went Robin who crossed the stage, ignored Mrs. Smith’s handshake and said something in Spanish, probably about hating them all. Then Finney who was greeted with many congratulations from the professors and very loud cheers from Gwen, Amy and Paperboy? And then it was Vance’s turn to take his diploma.

He was met with heartening words he didn’t expect to receive but welcomed nonetheless. He walked out the stage but before stepping down he flipped the teachers and the crowd off, a move that made Mr. Johnson scold him for his improper behaviour. He didn’t care, they had no more power over him the moment they gave him his diploma so he could flip them off every time he wanted.

After the last kid was called up, Finney went up again. He was their Validectorian so he had to give a speech to finish the ceremony. He did amazing of course. He hid the nervousness he had like a pro and he shouted encouraging and proud words. Then, before stepping down, like Vance and Robin did before, he flipped the teachers off and told their promotion to fuck off and to enjoy the summer in Spanish.

Caps were flying up afterwards, they fucking graduated. All of them went to greet their families and to take pictures with their own friends and families. It was a nice sight. Vance went where his family was seated and hugged his mom who was crying. Griffin’s dad congratulated him, telling him he was very proud of his achievement and that he never doubted he could. Griffin, on the other hand, was teasing him snickering at the fact that it took him three years.

They took some photos as a family before Bruce decided to approach him to engulf him in a tight hug. It was a short hug that was broken when the Asian gave Vance a kiss on the cheek as his congratulations and a big bright proud smile. (That was something Bruce started to do when he rejected Vance when Vance confessed his feelings to him back when they were fifteen and sixteen respectively, after Bruce admitted to him about liking boys).

“Don’t. I know what you are going to say.” Vance stopped Bruce before he could even speak.

“I didn’t even open my mouth." Bruce complained.

“You don’t need to. I can read your mind.”

“You’re so damn stupid, I can’t believe you’ve just graduated. Actually I do. I’m very proud of you Vance.”

“I know, thank you Bruce. I missed you.”

Bruce and Vance were far enough so their families couldn’t make out what they were talking about. Out of the corner of his eye, Vance noticed how Robin and Finney’s family were approaching them.

“Not a lot I can see.” Bruce snickered, eyebrows going up and down. “Don’t think I didn’t notice how you took Finney’s hand.”

“You saw?”

Vance reddened a little. He hoped that nobody noticed their little interaction. He didn’t expect anyone, much less, Bruce who would tease him to oblivion, to notice their intertwined hands.

“Pretty hard to miss from the top of the bleachers, to be honest.”

“Ugh.” Vance grunted and ran his hand over his face to wash over his embarrassment.

“Ugh, yeah.” Bruce copied him exaggerating his actions. “You should confess now though.”

“What, why?”

“Because I think your future boyfriend saw the kiss I gave you on the cheek and he is looking very mopey the more we talk.” The asian pursed his lips together, sparring a look to Finney and sighed. “Go talk to him. Go. Now.”

Bruce pushed Vance towards Finney’s direction. The blond tumbled and Finney had to help him balance himself. If he was already feeling embarrassed, now he felt that even more.

He straightened up, muttered a shy thank you and took Finney by the hand. He wasn’t about to confess his feelings in front of their families and the rest of the alumni. So the back of the bleachers would have to do. He excused them for a minute and dragged Finney.

“Finney Blake.”

“Vance Hopper.”

“First of all. Thank you, for tutoring and putting up with me.”

Finney arched an eyebrow, smiling and punching Vance jokingly in the arm. “It wasn’t a big deal, really. I liked doing it and it helped me remember topics, so…”

Vance opened his mouth to continue, but Finney beat him up with a question.

“Is he your boyfriend?”

“Who? Bruce?” Finney nodded. “No, he is not. But I used to like him tough, back when I was sixteen.” Vance confessed.

Confessing that you used to like a boy, might not be the right move to do when you were trying to tell the guy you had been pining for the last nine months that you like him. But Vance wanted to be completely honest, so he did.

“I didn’t know you liked boys.”

Vance shrugged. “I hope so, I tried to hide it. You know how some people are not welcoming.”

“Yeah, I would know ‘cause I also like boys.” Finney didn’t look him in the eyes, when he confessed that. Eyes centred in the grass on the ground they were in.

Finney interpreted his silence as an opportunity to continue asking questions. “So… you don’t like him anymore?”

“No.” Vance shook his head, he didn’t, he stopped liking Bruce a few months after the asian rejected him. “I started liking someone else.” That made Finney shoot up his eyes to look at Vance’s. “You must know him as you probably see him everyday. He goes to our class. He has curly brown hair. Not untamed like mine, but pretty styled. He is taller than me. He is a total badass because he can talk back to me and not fear the consequences of doing so and amazing too. He’s really fun and brave even if he doesn’t realise it himself.”

Vance, with the help of Bruce of course because he was oblivious as fuck, understood the lies about Fiona Black and Vanessa Hopwell. Finney was talking about them. Fiona was Finney, so when he said he knew someone who would take Vance to prom he was referring to himself. Vanessa Hopwell was Vance, so when Finney told him that he would ask Vanessa to prom, he meant asking Vance to prom.

Finney was testing the waters even if at the end, he chickened out and didn’t ask Vance to prom because the blond was too oblivious to understand the real meaning behind the words that were said that day.

“Must be a lucky guy.” Finney told him. He was biting the inside of his cheek, trying to hold back the smile that slowly grew when he noticed that Vance was repeating the words he told him a few days ago. He repeated Vance’s too. “If he rejects you then he’s a bitch with no taste. Good thing I have very fucking good taste.”

Vance laughed and Finney laughed too. They stared at each other’s eyes, silent, not letting the background noise bother their intimate moment. They weren’t going to kiss, not yet at least, not there, not so close to other people who would judge them and would scream murder at the sight of two boys kissing.

Bruce and Robin interrupted them. They told both that their families wanted to take pictures of the three of them together (Robin, Finney and Vance) to preserve the memory of their time together in high school. So they took pictures. Some were with Gwen and Griffin, Bruce, Amy and Billy were in a few too.

They looked happy.

Later that day, Vance and Finney found themselves in the hill in front of the drive–in, again, maybe for the thousandth time. It became their spot after all the time they spent there. Their place. They sat where they usually sat and stared at the sunset.

Vance wrapped his arms around Finney’s waist and pulled him closer. Flashdance's last scene was showing on the screens and What A Feeling was nice background music to reaffirm Finney about his feelings.

“I didn’t get to tell you before, but I’ve liked you for a long time now.” Finney looked at him, but with a look into Vance’s eyes, he understood that Vance didn’t want him to interrupt his speech. “At first I just tolerated you because I thought that you were just a regular goody–two–shoes, but then your father found us in your room and–you know. After that, it changed the way I viewed you.”

Vance broke the embrace they had and pushed Finney to the ground gently. The younger didn’t understand what Vance wanted him to do, so he let the other guide him. Vance smiled softly at the way Finney trusted him, he put a finger under his chin and lifted his head up, the sun was no longer in the sky, the stars were shining instead.

A pretty sight that must be seen by a pretty thing.

Finney’s eyes glowed at seeing the stars, he smiled at him and Vance’s world lit up like the stars too. He laid beside the younger, resting his head on Finney’s chest and started to talk again.

“The more I got to know you, the more I liked you. Every afternoon in the coffee shop, or in your house, or the bleachers when I was trying to teach you the damn trick with the cig–which by the way, you are very bad at–, or the walks back to home, or the fair, or Robin’s tournament. Every time I was with you, you felt like a fucking dream.” Finney started to play with his hair, so loving and tender it made Vance nuzzle up against Finney’s neck. “You are just like a dream. Actually no, scratch that, you’re just like heaven. You’re soft, you give me peace and you bring me joy. There’s no better way to describe it. I just really, really like you, Finney Blake.”

And finally, Vance’s dreams came true.

He didn’t need Finney telling him he liked him back, not when he was pressing his lips against his. Vance Hopper was kissing Finney Blake, just like he imagined himself doing countless times in his sleep or when he was daydreaming. Just like he wished he could every time they saw each other and they had to part ways.

Vance felt like he was in cloud nine and he knew that Finney did too because he didn’t stop kissing him. Not that day when the cold started to sip in their bodies when it got too late, not ever.